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Ayurveda
originated in India and the scholars of Ayurveda and ancient
Indian literature have placed it around 6000 B.C. Ayurveda,
as the name implies (Ayu:life, Veda:knowledge)
is the knowledge of healthy living and is not confined only
to treatment of illness. It deals elaborately with measures
for healthful living during the entire span of life and
its various phases. Besides, dealing with principles for
maintenance of health, it has also developed a wide range
of therapeutic measures to combat illness. These principles
of positive health and therapeutic measures relate to physical,
mental, social and spiritual welfare of human beings. Thus
Ayurveda becomes one of the oldest systems of health care
dealing with both the preventive and curative aspects of
life in a most comprehensive way.
Basic Doctrines of Ayurveda-
The
conceptual framework of Ayurveda is based on certain basic
doctrines.
Life
is viewed as ‘a tripod’ of body, mind and spirit.
All levels of life constitute a unified whole.
The
body, like the rest of nature is seen as a product
of evolution. Following the emergence of the five
generic essences of physical energy (Ether, Air,
Fire, Water and Earth) gross material manifested in variegated
forms. The subsequent evolution of the world, including
the human constitution, is from these five elementary principles.
The five elements enter the body and become reconstituted
in the physiology and anatomy of the individual. As with
the rest of nature, the body is in a continuous state of
transformation.
These
five elements have three operative principles; vata,
pitta and kapha which must be maintained in their
optimal level, otherwise they become blemishes or dosas.
Hence they are called tridosas. The five elements along
with blood, sustain the body and regulate all organic and
psychic functions. Without them, the body cannot exist.
When they are in a state of dynamic equilibrium, the body
enjoys health and well-being; but when there is a loss of
balance, disease results.
The
five generic essences, also called ‘ the mahabhutas’
are present in the seven elements known as dhatus.
As the basic tissue elements, the dhatus constitute the
body and support and sustain it. Of special importance is
their role in the body’s immunological system. They
comprise the body’s fluids and its hard and soft parts.
These seven elements are; blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow,
semen and oestrum. All of them are directly regulated by
the tridoshas, which permeate the entire organism.
The
final excellence of all these elements together is known
as ojas, meaning effulgence. It gives vitality
to all the tissues and is found throughout the body. In
a healthy state, ojas gives firmness to the body, a shining
colour to the skin, and energizes the internal and external
organs. In the event it is diminished by hunger, injury,
exhaustion or anxiety, the individual’s complexion
changes, and he or she complains of fatigue and loss of
strength.
Health
and healing in the Ayurvedic system is intimately connection
to food and its proper digestion and assimilation. This
explains the pivotal function of the agnis.
Agnis are the biologic fires that act as enzymes in the
digestion and absorption of food. In the event that the
digestive and metabolic functions of the agnis are impeded,
the unprocessed food accumulates as ‘ama’
in the intestines and proceeds to decompose. This undigested
and unassimilated substance is a major factor in the production
of indigenous diseases. It blocks the digestive tracts,
and when it is chemically transformed into toxins, it enters
the bloodstream, causing injury to the internal organs.
Finally
there are the three malas; secretions that
are counted among the constituents of the body – urine,
feces and perspiration. The malas are waste products, following
the process of digestion; but in the Ayurvedic conception
these excretions are not exactly waste, it is their non-formation
that is pathological.
The
second leg of the tripod is the mind
(manas). Along with intellect (buddhi)and agoism (ahamkara),
mind constitutes one aspect of the psychic apparatus of
the person. Ayurveda describes the mind as the sixth sense
(sad-indriya). It has a transcending capacity (atindriya)
for three reasons: a) mind is both the cause of knowledge
of the external world, as with other senses, b) but it is
also the subject of internal perception; c) whereas the
five senses are grasped by the mind, the mind is not grasped
by the senses; and it is the mind that oversees the senses.
The
important functions of the mind are its capacities to perceive,
think, remember and imagine. As the controller of all cognitive
and conaitive organ, the mind is the controlling factor
of the body. It is the direct cause of pain and pleasure
in the body and is the seat of conscious, subconscious and
unconscious activity of the body. Mind serves as a bridge
between the physical body and the spirit. Manas is a dynamic
agent, and though it is incomprehensive to the senses, its
reality is essential for life.
The
third leg of the tripod is the self or
spirit. It is the transcendental element. Bodies
perish but the spirit living in the body is not subject
to death. Human beings occupy a unique position in nature,
for the realization of the spirit, because of their endowment
of intellect, memory, judgement, skill and action. The human
species can rise above the life of mere instinct of an animal
and live spiritually motivated lives. Like the mind, the
spirit cannot be grasped by the senses, but its reality
is equally essential for understanding all aspects of the
human being. The goal of life is to realize the reality
of the spirit by personal experience, and the ultimate mission
of medicine is to create the most favorable conditions for
this possibility.
CONSTITUTIONAL
APPRACH (PRAKRUTI)
In
Ayurveda, the biological constitution or the genetic make
up of an individual, which remains constant throughout one’s
life is called Prakruthi. The Prakruthi of an individual
manifests as the physical attributes and physiological and
psychological responses. In nature, we see a great deal
of diversity in the features, behaviour, abilities, attitudes,
tastes, etc. among humans. Even identical twins are not
similar in all respects! What is it that makes an individual
unique in his or her own way and hence distinctly different
from the others? It is the constitution. The way we are,
the way we behave, the way our body reacts to certain things
– all these are to great extent influenced by our
‘constitution’ – call it biological constitution,
genetic constitution or ‘Prakruti’.
The
physician analyses the individual’s Prakruti which
is used as a diagnostic tool to understand the course of
the disease and also the prognosis. This is because, bringing
back the individual to his state of equilibrium of doshas
(“prakruthisthapanam”) is the aim of the treatment.
It also helps to decide appropriate medicines, its dosage,
food and regimen for the patient. Restorative treatment
or Panchakarma treatment has to be properly adopted according
to the constitution in an appropriate season.
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